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Monday, September 26, 2016

Our Favorite Banned Books

Posted by Staff

Banned Books Week has just started and goes through September 30th. The American Library Association has held this event annually since 1982 "in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries". More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association.(http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about) We've decided to share our favorite banned books with you. What is your favorite banned/challenged book?

While I do love this book anyway, what makes it my favorite banned book is the irony! People attempting to ban a book that warns about the dangers of banning books. All kidding aside, it has a captivating story line and well developed characters. Every page leads to a new discovery that drives you to keep reading.

(Joyce D.)

I chose it because the apparently simple story can spark thought and discussion in many areas. The story is not always easy to read - one of the topics sparked is infanticide. My thought would be although labeled a children's book it seems to be more suited to the young adult age group.

(Tirzah D.)

When I first read The Giver, I was immediately swept away by Lowry’s writing. I like how the book gets readers thinking on several moral issues. I also enjoy the developing relationship between the Giver and Jonas the main protagonist (who happens to be one of my favorite book characters!).

Ms. Walls memoir is intense, sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting. It is the type of story that needs to be told. It reminds us that a difficult origin story doesn’t have to define who we become.

The hunger games trilogy will forever be one of my all time favorite series. I love the world building and the amount of imagination the book forces you to use. It's a classic tale of perseverance, hardship, and sacrifice. I love the series so much I actually bought them in the UK special editions, pictured here!I can't wait to reread them & jump back into the dystopia world as soon as possible!

My son and I read these together and he laughed as we read all the way through. I'd say these books helped my son feel the joy of reading.

(Sally A.)

There are several
favorite books on the list--The Kiterunner, To Kill a Mockingbird, The
Hunger Games, but I would've been really sad if Captain Underpants hadn't been
around when our son was young. Though the books may be a bit silly, they
engage kids early on to become readers of Chapter books.

This is a beautiful and
heartwarming story of a young man growing up and trying to come to terms with
who he really is. It is a story about first crushes, lost family, and learning
to accept who you are. It is part of a wonderful series called Dangerous Angels
which is all about the value of love, family, & being true to yourself.
There is nothing objectionable in this book. The only reason anyone would
oppose it is if they oppose love.

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (Evan E.)This is a wonderful story about a young woman growing up in Iran, I don't come across many stories from the perspective of people living in the Middle East and I find it refreshing to see a perspective that is not seen though the western gaze.

I found this book to be very beautiful and inspiring, even
though there was also deep sadness. It demonstrated how a caring,
creative teacher can touch lives and inspire their students to strive for
excellence. And it didn’t hurt that he was teaching them to love
literature at the same time!